They never ceased declaring to me that my whole life should be spent in the circle of two leagues, which separates Coppet from Geneva.  If I remained, I must separate myself from my sons, who were of an age to seek a profession; and if my daughter shared my fortune, I imposed upon her the most melancholy perspective.  The city of Geneva, which has preserved such noble traces of liberty, was, notwithstanding, gradually allowing herself to be gained over by the interests which connected her with the distributors of places in France.  Every day the number of persons with whom I could be in intelligence diminished; and all my feelings became a weight upon my soul, in place of being a source of life.  There was an end of my talents, of my happiness, of my existence, for it is frightful to be of no service to one’s children, and to be the cause of injuring one’s friends.  Finally, the news I received, announced to me from all quarters the formidable preparations of the emperor:  it was evident that he wished first to make himself master of the ports of the Baltic by the destruction of Russia, and that afterwards he reckoned on making use of the wrecks of that power to lead them against Constantinople:  and his subsequent intention was to make that the point of starting for the conquest of Asia and Africa.  A short time before he left Paris, he had said, “I am tired of this old Europe.”  And in truth she is no longer sufficient for the activity of her master.  The last outlets of the Continent might be closed from one moment to another, and I was about to find myself in Europe as in a garrisoned town, where all the gates are guarded by military.

I determined therefore on going off, while there yet remained one means of getting to England, and that means the tour of the whole of Europe.  I fixed the 15th of May for my departure, the preparations for which had been arranged long before-hand in the most profound secrecy.  On the eve of that day, my strength abandoned me entirely, and for a moment I almost persuaded myself that such a degree of terror as I felt could only proceed from the consciousness of meditating a bad action.  Sometimes I consulted all sort of presages in the most foolish manner; at others, which was much wiser, I interrogated my friends and myself on the morality of my resolution.  It appears to me that the part of resignation in all things may be the most religious, and I am not surprised that pious men should have gone so far as to feel a sort of scruple about resolutions proceeding from free will.  Necessity appears to bear a sort of divine character, while man’s resolution may be connected with his pride.  It is certain, however, that none of our faculties have been given us in vain, and that of deciding for one’s self has also its use, On another side, all persons of mediocre intellect are continually astonished that talent has different desires from theirs.  When it is successful, all the world might do the same; but when it is productive